There’s a spellbinding quality to the music of Dark Matter. Sometimes, as on opening track “Pale Blue Dot,” it’s summoned up through the slow melodic breath of minimalism influences, but other times, when the tempo increases and the instrumental activity grows, the enchantment is more calculated, where melodic flashes and sparks and bursts magnify the beguilement to an intensity greater than the force used to generate it. “Scythe Dance” infuses some tuneful material mixed in with some hyperactivity, until the quartet decides to just floor the gas pedal. The songs “Between” and “Great Dark Spot” employ a similar progression, but maintain a tone that seeks to keep a sense of tranquility intact.

The quartet Minim Experiment transform their pieces from something to follow meticulously into something that requires the listener to keep guessing which direction the next interaction is coming from. It’s an excellent way to nurture a sense of peacefulness without ever really having to worry if all the activity set in play will have the effect of shattering it. Because it won’t, and it certainly doesn’t on this enjoyable recording.